June local unemployment rates fell in eight of 12 metro areas, according to preliminary data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).
Jobs increased in five metros and declined in seven. Largest increases: Champaign-Urbana (+1.8 percent, +1,800), Chicago-Joliet-Naperville (+1.6 percent, +60,700), and Rockford (+0.7 percent, +1,100).
Stephenson County
The June 2013 not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 9.6 percent in June 2013, up from 9.5 percent in June 2012.
Total non-farm employment declined by -400 compared to June 2012. Other Services (+50) added jobs. Manufacturing (-175), Construction (-175), and Leisure-Hospitality (-75) declined.
Historically, the Illinois unemployment rate is higher than the national rate. Only six times since January 2000 has the state rate been lower than the national rate. The data is seasonally adjusted and includes times of both economic expansion and contraction. Generally, this trend holds for the 10 largest industrial states in the country, which includes Illinois.
Rockford
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 11.0 percent in June 2013 from 11.5 percent in June 2012. The last time the June rate was equal to or lower was in 2008 when it was 8.6 percent.
Total non-farm employment increased +1,100 compared to June 2012. Manufacturing (+1,500), Leisure-Hospitality (+700), and Educational-Health Services (+300), and Transportation-Warehousing-Utilities (+100) reported payroll gains. Construction (-600), Professional-Business Services (-400), Government (-200), Retail Trade (-200), and Financial Activities (-200) declined.
Ogle County
The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to10.3 percent in June 2013 from 10.8 percent in June 2012. The last time the June unemployment rate was equal to or lower was in 2008 when it was 7.9 percent.
Total non-farm employment fell -400 compared to June 2012. The Professional-Business Services sector (+25) and Other Services (+50) added jobs. Government (-175), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-100), Construction (-100), and Educational-Health Services (-75) declined.
Illinois has added +237,900 private sector jobs since January 2010 when job growth returned to Illinois following nearly two years of monthly declines. State data is seasonally adjusted. Since January 2010, leading growth sectors in Illinois are Professional and Business Services (+101,600); Educational and Health Services (+60,400) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+39,300). Government has lost the most jobs since January 2010, down -36,300.